AP Art History China and Korea Vocab

Bi

a round ceremonial disk, found in ancient Chinese tombs; characterized by having a circular hole in the center, which may have symbolized heaven (as opposed to a cong which symbolized the earth)

Bodhisattva

a Buddhist deity who, choosing not to pass on to nirvana, remains to help others

Daoism

a philosophical belief begun by Laozi that stresses individual expression and a striving for balance, particularly with individuals and nature

Landscape

A picture showing natural scenery, without narrative content.

Literati

a sophisticated and scholarly group of Chinese artists who painted for themselves rather than fame or patrons; often became recluses and left urban life for nature

Lithograph

a printmaking technique that uses a flat stone surface as a base; the artist draws an image with an oil-based crayon that attracts the oil-based ink; water is applied to the paper to repel the oil ink and keep it from bleeding; paper, which absorbs the ink, is applied to the surface and a print emerges

Lokapala

heavenly kings who watch over one of each of the cardinal directions

Porcelain

a ceramic made from clay that when fired in a kiln produces a product that is hard, white, brittle, and shiny

Socialist realism

characterized by the glorified depiction of communist values or leaders; executed in a realistic manner

Vajrapani

Buddhist guardian figures, highly muscular, with thunderbolts

Yin and Yang

Daoist concept of complementary opposites (yin is feminine; yang is masculine)